Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?

Subject: Orchestra Song
From: M
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 04:57 PM

I know this is not quite within the realm of the Mudcat, but you all are usually so helpful. Does anybody know the words to "The Orchestra Song"? It's a vocal piece, with at least five parts. The lyrics to each part are about an instrument in the orchestra and what sound it makes. Parts are sung individually, then all sung together, and it sounds like...an orchestra. A friend sang this with her family (in the US) some time in the late 1950s-early 1960s, but she said her father sang it in college (mid 1940s). It made a brief appearance in the movie "You've Got Mail," with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, but was not listed in the credits. Any help?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: DougR
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 08:03 PM

M: I have the soundtrack to "You've Got Mail," and I see no mention of "The Orchestra Song" on the CD. I was a teenager during the 1940s and I have no recollection of the song at all. I'll be interested to see if someone can help you with this one.

DougR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 08:34 PM

yes, I know the song you are referring to and I'll get back to you on the details in a few minute. -alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 08:42 PM

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten. 'You've Got Mail' was aired on tv recently and I remember hearing it in the soundtrack, too. -alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 08:46 PM

... and then again, maybe not. I've got to check this out a little more. -alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 09:01 PM

It IS "The Orchestra Song", found it in an old harmony book. It says it is German traditional (the tune), and it is taken from Humor In Vocal Music by Julius Herford, © 1946 by Hargail Music Press, NYC.

I'll transcribe the lyrics if no one else has them to post first.

alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: bigJ
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 09:04 PM

I have an old LP by Oscar Brand and the Tarriers on which they sing 'The Violins Play Along' - a sort of round - would it be that? The first verse goes :-
The violins play along and everyone must learn to sing the song x 2.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 09:16 PM

lyrics posted here for educational purposes only
I have the notation if you need it.

Orchestra Song (Quodlibet)
German folk tune


The violins ringing like lovely singing
The violins ringing like lovely song.


The clarinet, the clarinet makes doodle doodle doodle doodle det,
the clarinet, the clarinet, makes doodle doodle doodle det.


The timpani's two tones and always the same tones
Five, one, one, five, five, five, five five, one.


(sing the song in this order: 1. "violins"only 2. "clarinets" only 3. "violins and clarinets together 4. "timpani" only 5. all together.

alice

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 03 Jan 00 - 11:55 PM

Another verse I remember is :
The horn, the horn, it sounds so forlorn (bis)
This line is sung on a drone.

A variant drum I've heard goes:
The drum it has two tones, a high one, a low one. High, low, low, high, high, high, high, high, low.

I'm trying to remember the first time I heard this, and it might have been in Colonial Williamsburg as an example of music from the 1700s. The piece is certainly old enough to qualify as traditional music, and the existance of variants as to the sounds certain instruments make further qualifies it as a folk song!

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: M
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 04:51 PM

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Alice, you are a dear. It does sound silly, but my friend, from a family of nine, Dutch and Slavic ancestry, did used to sing this song with her family. Too cornball. (I originally asked her if it was from The Sound of Music.) Thanks so much for the publishing origins. I don't need the notation, at the moment. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: DougR
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 09:23 PM

Alice: A small bit of trivia realted to Julius Hereford. He was Robert Shaw's choral conducting teacher. The student did very well.

DougR

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 04 Jan 00 - 09:40 PM

One of John Langstaff's recordings has a lovely arrangement of this- I think it's "Let's Make Music"- I'll look it up when I'm at work. The translation has a lot more words than those above. I remember:

The violins, of all the strings,
They take the lead and have the most to do,
They sweetly play the melody.
And sing away the whole piece through!

The clarinet, the clarinet,
Of all the woodwinds we most (?) can get,
A single reed is all we need
To play our sweet and mellow sound.

For a fanfare a trumpetty sound is best,
a trumpetty sound is best,
a trumpetty sound is best,
For a fanfare a trumpetty sound is best,
a trumpetty sound is best is best.

The kettledrums echo
The two notes we best know
Sol do, do sol,
Sol sol sol sol do

The horns the horns of curling brass
Can murmur low or loudly blast

Wow! I remembered more than I thought!
Allison

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: M
Date: 05 Jan 00 - 06:19 PM

Y'all are too much! More to pass on to my friend. It's making me giggle. Thanks again all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From:
Date: 01 Feb 05 - 11:04 PM

I've been (successfully) teaching my 24 month old grandson to sing "the horn" part of The Orchestra while I do the "clarinet" and am aching to get the sheet music to find the other parts which I've forgotten. If anyone has sheet music for The Orchestra Song, can you let me know at [e-mail] (in case i can't find my way back onto this site which I googled from writing out the words from "the horn, the horn, it sounds so forlorn.")

thanks, Marsha

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,newjean
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 01:03 PM

Sheet music for The Orchestra Song:

http://www.dsokids.com/2001/dso.asp?PageID=416

(courtesy of Dallas Symphony Association)

Subject: ADD: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,Stu Dent
Date: 11 Mar 05 - 05:59 PM

"The clarinets, the clarinets, of all the woodwinds we most notes can get"

http://www.nwlg.org/pages/resources/pmusic/orchestra_4.htm (MIDI)

---

	The Orchestra Song
	The violins of all the strings We take the lead and have the most to do We gaily play the melody And sing away the whole piece through
	The clarinets, the clarinets, Of all the woodwind we most notes can get A single reed is all we need To make our smooth and mellow sound
	The horns, the horns Of curling brass Can murmur low Or loudly blast!
	For the fanfare our trumpety sound is best Our trumpety sound is best, our trumpety sound is best For the fanfare our trumpety sound is best Our trumpety sound is best is best
	The Kettledrums echo The two notes we best know Soh-doh, doh-soh Soh, soh, soh soh, doh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 01:48 AM

The slide trombone can sing many tones, the slide trombone can sing many tones. that is one my mum remembers from when she did it in primary school.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 08:36 PM

I thought you meant

"I am a fine musician, I practise every day"

will have to look for the words,

but each verse includes

"my xxxx, my xxxx
I love to play my xxxx"

can be done with a group - each verse and chourus, then each accumulative orchestra.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 06 - 10:17 PM

I remember a total of seven separate lines-- Violin, Clarinet, Trumpet, Horn, and Timpani, as listed here, but also Bassoon and Piccolo.

The bassoon it makes a point of counterpoint
Da da da da da daaa da da da da da da da da da (that helped a lot, didn't it? But those were the words, as a recall. A very pretty melody.)

and

The piccolo goes tootle-oot-oot, toodle-oot doot doo.

Maybe I'll think about how to post the melodies. I don't have easy access to MIDI, so can't do much there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,Children's Librarian
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 08:53 PM

Score! I found the sheet music and lyrics to "The Orchestra Song" in a softcover book called "Songs for a New Generation: Fun Songs, Rounds and Harmony". copyright 1974 Oak Publications, a division of Embassy Music Corporation. Too old for the book to have an ISBN number. Did not have time to check its availability on Amazon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,Mrs Meyer
Date: 31 Oct 07 - 05:18 AM

You mentioned you had found "The Orchestra Song" in a 1974 book, "Songs for a New Generation..." What I'd like to track down, though, is the book current in the early Fifties that had not only the Orchestra Song (hope I'm referring to the same thing -- Clarinet goes doodle doodle doodle doodle-det) but also another song about the Skena River, and many other part songs for children.
I've just been asked to cover someone's maternity leave for a music class and this book would be perfect -- as I'm sure it's long out of copyright I can copy it and they'll never know how old the songs are that I'm teaching them! Can you help?
(Best place for used books, I find, is www.bookfinder.com, which lists Amazon as well as many "normal" used bookshops.)
Many thanks for whatever leads you can give me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,Angela
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 09:49 PM

Someone mentioned this song being from The Sound of Music. It is not in the movie but you may have remembered it from the musical. I performed this song when in the 2nd grade in the high school production of The Sound of Music. The lyrics were as follows:

The violin's singing.
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah (these are sung in various notes)

The horn, the horn,
it sounds so forlorn.

The clarinet, the clarinet,
goes doodle doodle doodle doodle det.

The drum, the drum,
Five, five, five, five, one.

There may be more lyrics, I have the sheet music.. somewhere.
Any questions email me: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,jr10
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 11:59 AM

We used to sing this in school in Yorkshire in the 1970s. I could remember the horns, the violin and clarinet but thanks for all the rest. I'm teaching it to my little girl.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Sep 08 - 09:03 PM

IMDb.com gives this information in the soundtrack listing for "You've Got Mail":

THE INSTRUMENT SONG
Traditional
Performed by Jean Stapleton, Steve Zahn, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear and Heather Burns

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,Bob Forrest
Date: 18 Sep 08 - 12:32 PM

We sang this in a Minnesota grade school or high school chorus program, with slightly different words but the same music:

The fiddles they sing it, they sob it and swing it, they sway as they play it, they play all they say.
The clarinet, the clarinet, goes dua-dua-dua-det, the clarinet, the clarinet, goes dua-dua-dua-det.
And the trumpet must tan-ta-ta-ta-ta, etc.
The horns, the horns, they shout it out...
The drum has no trouble, just double, dub-double, five-one, one-five, bum bum bum bum bum.
The bassoon it makes a point of counterpoint, ???? ???? ???.

Also something about a cello so mellow. I don't remember a part for flute, piccolo, or trombone.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 11:53 AM

In my elementary school in New Jersey - in the late 40's/early 50's - we sang it pretty much as they did in Minnesota.
The music teacher divided the auditorium into 4 quadrants.
Left Front sang:
the fiddles they sing it, they sob it and swing it, they sway as they play it, they sing all they say.
Left Rear sang:
The clarinet, the clarinet, goes dua-dua-dua-det, the clarinet, the clarinet, goes dua-dua-dua-det.
Right Front sang:
The horns, the horns, they shout it out, the horns, the horns, they shout it out (the most boring part of all!)
Right Rear sang:
The drum has no trouble, just double, dub-double, five-one, one-five, bum bum bum bum bum.

It was a township school with lots of farm kids who couldn't have cared less -- but I secretly kind of enjoyed it!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song
From: GUEST,guest - merida7
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 11:31 PM

Does anyone have the German lyrics to the Orchestra Song? A friend "keeps looking for them" (having learned the song in German, in a group of group of young people in the U.S., about 1940s).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,astewart41
Date: 18 Dec 08 - 11:52 PM

I found a link to a version it sounds like most of you have been searching for: (English lyrics, sorry above person)

http://www.songsforteaching.com/orchestrainstrumentsong.htm

Merry Christmas!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 03:55 PM

Refresh. Somebody must know the German lyrics....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 10:12 PM

I have a vague memory of this being sung in a round. I have the melody complete after all these years, I am amazed!:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:18 AM

German Lyrics

Die Geige, sie singet, sie jubelt und klinget,
Die Geige, sie singet, sie jubelt und kling

Die Klarinett, die Klarinett, macht
duo-duo-duo-basinett
Die Klarinett, die Klarinett, macht duo-duo-duo-dett

I don't remember the horn, the trumpet, or the drum verses at the moment but will try to look them up and post them later.

Subject: ADD: Zur Feier/Die Geige (Willy Geisler)
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:24 AM

I looked it up and what I mis-heard and posted was a jumble of the actual words, which are:


ZUR FEIER / DIE GEIGE
(Willy Geisler)

1. Die Geige, sie singt, sie jubelt und klingt (violin)

2. Die Klarinett, die Klarinett, macht duaduadua gar so nett, (clarinet)

3. Die Pauke hat's leicht denn sie spielt nur zwei Töne: Fünf eins / eins fünf / bum bum bum bum bum. (drums)

4. Die Trompete, die schmettert: tätätätäteterätätätätäteterä, Die Trompete, die schmettert: tätätätäteterätätätätä. (trumpet)

5. Das Horn, das Horn, das ruht sich aus. Das Horn, das Horn, das ruht sich aus. (horn, of course)

6. Die Trommel... (don't know this verse)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 02:40 AM

Thanks a lot, Lin. I'm truly impressed. I've been looking for that song for a long, long time.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,francis and millie
Date: 16 Sep 09 - 02:42 AM

I(francis Buekea)along with the other chior members sang the version of this same instrumental lyric to the first graduating 8th graders of our catholic mission elementary school on the island of Tol in Truk, also known as the Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia in l967 when I was in the 7th grade. I thought that the whole audience would be so amazed to hear our mellifluous notes in English but instead everyone was so very much serenaded only by our harmonious melodies since almost none of them knew how to speak English.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,ilovekitkat
Date: 25 Nov 09 - 09:34 AM

Does anyone knows about this?

" The violins singing, Are ringing and singing, The violins playing Are like a sweet song.

The clarinet, the clarinet Plays dua, dua, dua, dua det.

The horn, the horn sounds loud and clear.

But the trumpet goes trum-pe-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta, trum-pe-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta.

A sturdy sound, the big trombone, Sounds dark and deep the baritone.

Dub dubble, dub dubble, the drums have no trouble, Five one, one five, Five drum, drum, drum, drum. "

Please send tune, thanks! :)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 10:54 AM

I have watched this video several times and can identify the violin, clarinet, horn, trumpet and I think bassoon..but not sure. Is there a lyric that lists all of the part? As I think this piece has been cut to fit each choir and there are several parts not done to keep it shorter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBAXB18VQCo&feature=related

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Jazzie
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 07:52 PM

Does anyone know this song in Russian?
that would really help!
someone please tell me, thanks =)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,sionlew
Date: 10 Apr 10 - 06:05 AM

In our German class, the horn bit went something like:

"Das Horn Das Horn, das ruht sich aus
Es singt nur einen ton herraus..."

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 17 May 10 - 10:28 PM

I'm also looking for all the German words. In the late 1940s-early 50s I learned this partially auf Deutsch & part in English. Think I've found a source of sheet music. The bassoon:

"Das Bassoon kommt mit dem kuntrapunkt-lah laaahhh, la la la la la
la la--la la la"
(repeat)

Our version of the horn:

"Das Horn, Das Horn er klingt am morgen
(repeat)"

Shy can't we find more of the German or English verses??? We always hac such fun singing this...Tw

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 18 May 10 - 01:28 PM

OK, that last one there is me. & the last line should have started "Why...". I'm properly signed in now, everlasting thanks to Joe Offer. Still hoping to find lyrics & music to this one. Tw

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 06 Jun 10 - 08:52 AM

Someone suggested I try Joe Hickerson & ZAP!!! I now have several versions of this fabulous piece, printed on paper, 1 in German, music & lyrics. Absolutely fabulous. God bless him. He claimed it was found by a friend of his named Ruth. God bless her. After all those yrs of wondering...it's heaven. Tw

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,German
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 06:34 AM

The version quoted by Lin is identical to the one represented on "ingeb.org". This is usually the first address for anyone searching for German folk songs. However, the text given for the horn is not the one usually sung and seeming most logical, as (approximately) quoted by sionlew: "Das Horn, das Horn, das ruht sich aus, es bringt nur einen Ton heraus." The translation is "The horn, the horn relaxes, it produces but one note." (Hornist rightly feel insulted, but with the short-lived advent of the vuvuzela this verse has been quoted frequently.)

As for the authorship, ingeb.org gives "Melodie & Text: Willy Geisler, 1886". In other sources, such as http://www.deutscheslied.com/, the spelling is "Willy Geißler" etc. (deutscheslied.com, based in Canada, is an incredible archive of German songbooks; there you can order by email those songs that are forbidden in Germany, if you need them.) "Zur Feier" ("For a celebration") seems to be the Geisler's original title. He might not have foreseen the worlwide carreer of his little quodlibet, designed for a single occasion.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,German
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 06:34 AM

continued:

Here I found a perfect and beautiful representation: http://www.kinderlieder-texte.de/die-geige-sie-singet/.

Any verses about drums and bassoons have probably been added later and are not known generally. The Folk Process, however, joins the song with many other songs and rounds of (roughly) equal chord scheme, such as "Es tönen die Lieder" and "C-A-F-F-E-E", to form a giant quodlibet.

It should always be pointed out to learners that timpani (aka kettledrums, Ger. Pauken) and drums (Trommeln) are entirely different instruments!

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,former New Jersey student
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 05:39 PM

I also remember this and was the opening singer in a 5 or 6 person version of the song when I went to West Amwell Elementary school in New Jersey in the early 1970's. I opened with the fiddle - it was my first solo ever :) Much fun to remember I have been trying to find the lyrics for all the instruments. Looks like there are several versions.

Subject: Orchestra Song - Spanish Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Joyce Lender
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 04:31 PM

Does anyone know where to get the Spanish version of "The Orchestra Song". I would greatly appreciate it.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 07:14 PM

Here I found a sheet music PDF in Spanish. The melodies are slightly different from the ones mentioned above. The bassoon duly comes with its counterpoint, but the timpani have suddenly become a trombone!?! Here a slightly different version of the lyrics; I particularly like the trumpet part:

LA ORQUESTA

Bellas melodías,
entonan a los violines
primero y segundo
preparense para tocar.

El clarinete dulcemente
toca dua dua el clarinete,
el clarinete dulcemente
toca dua dua da.

(los dos juntos)

El fagot señala el contrapunto la
lala lala lara lara, la la la la la la
el fagot señala el contrapunto la
lala lala lara lara.

(los tres juntos)

La trompeta domina
toda la orquestara tara
trompetara tara
trompeta domina
toda la orquestara tara ta ta.

(los cuatro juntos)

En cambio el trombón
no ofrece problemas;
Sol Do, Do Sol, Sol Sol Sol Do.

(todos juntos x 2)

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 03:51 PM

Thankz i was also looking for the sheet music for that song if you know a good website tell me please

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 11 - 09:47 PM

Thank you everyone for all your hard work. I can't wait to sing this song with my students as we learn about the instruments of the orchestra.

Subject: RE: req/ADD: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Mar 11 - 08:43 AM

The Clarinet, the clarinet goes dua dua dua dua dette
the clarinet, the clarinet goes dua dua dua dette

The trumpet goes trump a tee tee tee tee,
trump a tee tee tee tee, trump a tee tee tee
The trumpet goes trump a tee tee tee tee
trump a tee tee tee tee, trump

The Horn, The Horn, comes out, to play
The Horn, The Horn, comes out, to play

The drum has no trouble, just double, dub double
Five one, one five, boom boom boom boom boom.

Thats all I know

Liz

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: Orchestra Song - German Lyrics?
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 09 Jan 12 - 03:02 AM

Wow, didn't know there were so many different versions of the lyrics. I have a score I could email, if anybody wants it. Email me at [e-mail]

Lisa